Solar giant Qcells and a Virginia company signed the largest-ever U.S. community solar deal, giving a boost to an industry facing challenges in California, New York and other states.
Summit Ridge Energy, based in Arlington, Virginia, said it plans to purchase 800 more megawatts of solar power capacity from Qcells, a South Korea-based solar panel maker, expanding a partnership that attracted attention from the White House last year.
Summit purchased 1,200 megawatts of solar panels in 2023. Together, the expanded supply deal will power about 200,000 homes and businesses, according to the company.
Both companies have previously credited the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act for bolstering the partnership, and the White House has pointed to it as a success story for renewable energy. Vice President Kamala Harris visited Qcells’ Georgia-based plant last year to announce the deal, and credited government and industry efforts to build domestic supply chains while expanding access to solar energy.